Door control mechanism



July 17, 1962 A. L. PELCIN DOOR CONTROL MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 29, 1960 July 17, 1962 A. 1.. PELCIN 3,044,814

DOOR CONTROL MECHANISM United States Patent ()fiice Patented July 17, 1962 V 3,044,814 DOOR CONTROL MECHANISM Albert L. Pelcin, Maple Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Eastern Company, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Jan. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 5,419 13 Claims. (Cl. 292-126) This invention relates to latch mechanisms for doors and the like and, as one of its objects, provides a. novel construction of a simple and practical form for mechanisms of this kind and which can be used to advantage for the doors of utility trucks and for other purposes.

Another object is to provide novel latch mechanism designed for use in a substantially flush-front installed relation and having a pivoted latch member movable to latching and unlatching positions by swinging of a plate-type handle means Whose normally-retracted position is likewise a substantially flush position.

A further object is to provide novel latch mechanism having such plate-type handle means on the front or flush side thereof and also having a second handle means on the rear side thereof and comprising a swingable lever.

Still another object is to provide novel latch mechanism having some or all of the characteristics indicated above and wherein a shiftable body or bolt member is common to, and actuatable by, front and rear handle means and has a pivoted latch member operably connected therewith for swinging thereby.

This invention also provides novel latch mechanism having such front and rear handle means and a support structure or housing comprising connected front, rear and intermediate housing members, and wherein the front and rear handle means are swingably mounted on the front and rear housing members and the intermediate housing member defines a 'guideway for the shiftable body or bolt member.

Additionally, this invention provides a novel latch mechanism having front and rear handle means and adapted for use in a substantially flush-front installed relation, and also embodying key-actuatable locking means associated with the front handle means for locking the same while the rear handle means remains in an operative condition.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent in the following detailed description and in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the latch mechanism of this invention showing the same in a flush-front mounted relation and with portions of the front handle means broken away;

FIG. 2 is a transverse horizontal section taken through the door and doorframe structures substantially as indicated by section line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing the latch mechanism mainly in plan View;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the latch mechanism and the adjacent portions of the door and doorframe structures;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the mechanism taken on section line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken through the mechanism as indicated by section line 55 of FIGS. 1 and 4.

As one practical embodiment of this invention the drawings show a latch mechanism which comprises, in general, a mounting structure or housing 11, a latch member 12 projecting from the housing for co-operation with a keeper l3, and front and rear operating handles 14 and 15 for imparting door-unlatching movement to the latch member. The latch mechanism It) is intended for use with a pair of relatively movable door and doorframe members 17 and 18 and is mounted on one of the memhere, in this case the doorframe member, in a substantially flush-front relation. g

The door 17 is the movable member of the pair and is here shown as being a travelling or slidable door having the keeper 13 mounted thereon, and the doorframe member 13 having the latch mechanism mounted thereon is here shown as being the stationary member of the pair. It will be understood, of course, that this relationship could be reversed if desired, that is, with the latch mechanism it mounted on the door and the keeper 13 mounted on the doorframe member.

The doorframe member 18 is here shown as comprising an upright doorpost 20 and an upright wall sheet or panel 21 suitably secured to the post, as by welding or the like, and having an opening 22 in which the latch mechanism It) is received. The door 17 is here shown as being a flat upright structure having spaced side walls 23 and 24 secured to an upright stile '25 containing a resilient packing strip or bumper 26 engageable with an upright bead portion 27 of the doorpost 20 when the door is in its closed position in which it is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawmgs.

The keeper 13 may be of any suitable form and is here shown as being an angle member or clip having a plate n portion 23 secured to the door 17 and a flange portion 29 forming a projecting keeper element engageable by the latch member 12. A handle 30 is also provided on the door 17 and is here shown as likewise being an angle member or clip having a plate portion 31 lying opposite the plate portion 28 of the keeper and a handle portion 32 projecting from the door. The keeper 13 and the handle 30 are attached to the door 17 as by rivets or the like 33 extending through the door and through the plate portions 28 and 31.

'The mounting structure or housing 11 comprises front, intermediate and rear housing members 35, 36 and 37 in a connected relation and of which the front housing member 35 is provided with an out-turned lateral flange 38. The housing 11 is secured to the doorframe member 18 by rivets or the like 39 and with the flange 38 lying against one surface of the wall 21, in this case the front surface.

The front housing member 35 forms a support and housing for the front handle means 14, as is further described hereinafter. The intermediate housing member 36 forms a bolt housing and, as such, defines a guideway 41 for ashiftable body member or bolt 42 as is also further described hereinafter. The rear housing member 37 forms a support member for the latch member 12 and the rear operating handle 15.

The front housing member 35 is here shown as being in the form of a pan-like sheet metal stamping of a generally quadrangular plane shape and having a recess 43 extending thereinto from a front opening 44 lying in the plane of, and surrounded by, the lateral flange 38. The housing member 35 has a substantially flat rear wall 45 forming the bottom wall of the recess 43, and also comprises pairs of opposed side and end walls 46, 47 and 48, 49 connecting the rear wall 45 with the lateral flange 38.

The intermediate housing member 36 is likewise in the form of a sheet metal stamping but is of a channel-like cross-sectional shape for defining the guideway 41 and has lateral connecting flanges 51 and 52 on opposite sides of the guideway and secured to the rear wall 45, as by welding, for connecting the intermediate housing member with such rear wall. The portion of the rear wall 45 spanning the guideway 41 is provided with a slot 53, sometimes referred to herein as a first slot, which extends longitudinally for the guideway and connects the same the recess 43 of the front housing member. The intermediate housing member 36 thus forms a bolt housing on the rear of the front housing member 35, and the web portion of the intermediate housing member forms a. bolt housing rear wall 54 which is spaced from the rear wall 45 of the front housing member.

The rear housing member 37 is here shown as also being a sheet metal stamping having a rear wall 56, an end wall 57, and a pair of opposed side walls 58 and 59. The rear housing member 37 is disposed in an encampassing relation to the intermediate housing member 36, and is also in telescoped engagement with the front housing member so that the side walls 58 and 59 of the rear housing member lie against the side walls 46 and 47 of the front housing member, and the end wall 57 lies against the end wall 49 of the front housing member. The rear housing member 37 is suitably attached to the front housing member 35 as by weld junctions or the like formed between the engaged walls of these members.

In the assembled relation of the housing members as just described above and shown in the drawings, the rear wall 56 of the rear housing member 37 is in a substantially parallel relation to the rear wall 54 of the intermediate housing member 36 and is spaced from the latter wall by an intervening slot-like space 60. The rear walls 54 and 56 are provided with slots 62 and 63, sometimes referred to herein as second and third slots, which extend in the same longitudinal direction as the guideway 41 and are lstgcated in a substantially opposed relation to the first slot The front handle 14 is a plate type handle comprising a substantially flat plate portion 64 having parallel edge flanges 65 and 66 and an end flange 67. The handle 14 is located in the recess 43 of the front housing member 35 and, when this handle is in its normally-retracted position shown in FIG. 4, the flat plate portion 64- thereof lies substantially in the plane of the front opening 44 and forms a partial cover for such front opening. The free edge portion 68 of the handle 14 is spaced from the end wall 48 of the front housing member 35 so that the uncovered portion of the recess 43 provides an access opening 69 for the insertion of the fingers of an operators hand heneath the plate portion of the handle.

The handle 14 is swingably connected with the front housing member 35 by a pivot pin 71 which extends across the recess 43' and through the edge flanges 65 and 66 of the handle and is mounted in the opposed side walls 46 and 47 of the front housing member. The handle 14 includes trigger means 72 on the underside thereof and having a blade portion 72 extending into the guideway 41 through the first slot 53 for actuating engagement with the bolt 42.

The trigger means 72 is located on the pivoted end of the handle 14 in an engaged relation to the flange 67 so as to be reinforced by the latter and has an opening through which the pivot pin 71 extends. The trigger means 72 is here shown as having oppositely extending flange portions 73 which are secured against the underside of the handle 14 by suitable weld junctions.

The bolt 42 is here shown as being a block-like body or member slidable longitudinally in the guideway 41 for movement to different operative positions therealong. The bolt 42 is engaged on the inner end thereof by a compression spring 74 which is located in the guideway 41 and which urges the bolt in one direction therealong. The opposite end of the spring 74 is in engagement with a seat 75 provided in the intermediate housing member 36 at the inner end of the guideway thereof.

The bolt 42 is engageable on the other end thereof by the blade portion 72 of the trigger means of the front handle -14 so that outward manual swinging of this handle will shift the bolt in the other direction along the guideway and in opposition to the spring 74. The reaction of the spring 74 holds the bolt 42 in an engaged relation with the trigger means 72 and, through the latter, normally maintains the handle 14 in the retracted position shown in FIG. 4.

The bolt 42 is common to the front and rear handles 14 and 15 so as to be actuatable by either handle and forms a part of an actuator means 76 for the latch member 12. The actuator means 76 also comprises a stem or stud 78 extending through the second and third slots 62' and 63 and mounted on the bolt 42 in a rearwardly projecting relation thereto as by a screw portion 78 engaged in a threaded opening of the bolt.

The latch member 12 is here shown as being an elongated bar-like member having an inner end or first arm portion 30 located in the rear housing member 37 and disposed in the slot-like space 60 separating the two rear walls 54 and 56, and a projecting free end or second arm portion 81 projecting from the housing 11 and carrying a latching means 82 for co-operation with the keeper 13. The latching means 82 is shown as having a notch 83 in the lower side thereof for receiving the upper edge of the flange portion 29 of the keeper 13 when the latch member 12 is pivotally moved so as to swing the latching means 82 in a downward direction. The end portion of the latching means 82 provides a shoulder 84 as one edge of the notch 83 for holding engagement with the remote side of the upper portion of the flange 29 and is also provided with a bevelled edge or cam portion 85 whose sloping position causes the latching means 82 to ride over the upper edge of the keeper flange 29 when the door 17 is slid to its closed position.

The latch member 12 is pivoted on the housing 11 by means of a pivot pin 86 which is mounted on the rear wall 56 of the rear housing member 37 and which extends through the latch member. The arm portion 80 of the latch member is connected with the stem 78 and by the latter with the bolt 42. For this purpose the latch member is provided with a longitudinal slot 87 through which the stem 78 extends.

The rear handle '15 comprises a. lever, preferably a bell crank lever, having angularly disposed arm portions 88 and 89 of which the arm portion 88 carries a grip member 15 and is adapted to be manually grasped for swinging the handle, and the arm portion 89 is pivoted on the rear wall 56 of the rear housing member 37 by a suitable pivot member 90. As shown in the drawings the pivot pin 86 and the pivot member 90 are located in a substantially horizontally aligned relation with the stem 78 of the actuator means 76 but lie on opposite sides of the third slot 63.

The stem 78 extends through a slot 91 of the arm 88 at a point spaced from the pivot member 90 so that swinging of the rear handle 15 on this pivot member as a fulcrum will shift the stem in a downward direction, determined by the sliding movement of the bolt 42 in the guideway 41, and by which the stem will apply actuating movement to the latch member 12. The swinging of the latching means 82, as thus produced, is in an upward direction and in opposition to the spring 74 for moving the latching means to its door-unlatched position in which it is disengaged from the keeper flange 29 to permit the door 1'7 to be slid to its open position.

A similar movement of the bolt 42 along the guideway 41 in opposition to the spring 74, produced by an outward manual swinging of the front handle 14, will like wise cause the stem 78 to actuate the latch member 12 and thereby produce a swinging of the latching means 82 to its door-unlatched position.

The latch mechanism 10 also embodies locking means 92 associated with one of the actuating handles of the mechanism, in this case the front handle 14, and which is operable to establish a locked condition of the front handle. The locking of the front handle 14 renders the same inoperative but does not prevent self-latching movement of the latch member 12, nor does it prevent actuation of the latch member to its door-unlatched position by the rear handle 15.

The locking means 92 comprises a pair of locking lugs 93 and 54 mounted on the front housing member 35 and a swingable locking member 95 co-operable with these lugs and movable to and from a locking position by a key-actuatable cylinder unit 96. The lugs 93 and 94 are attached, as by welding, to the front side of the rear wall 45 and are located on opposite sides of the first slot 53. The cylinder unit 96 is mounted on the front handle plate 64 and is rotatable in an opening 97 thereof.

When the locking member 95 is swung to its locking position, its free ends lie beneath or behind the locking lugs 93 and 94 as shown in FIG. 5 and prevent swinging of the front handle 14 on the pivot pin 71. When the front handle 14 is in this lock-ed relation, the trigger blade 72 thereof will be held stationary but the bolt 42 will still be shiftable away from the trigger blade, in opposition to the spring 74, upon swinging of the latch member 12 toward its unlatching position either by the rear handle 15 or by the co-operation of the cam edge 85 with the keeper flange 29.

Although the locking means 92, when in its locking position, prevents movement of the latch member 12 to its d-oor-unlatched position by the front handle 14, the relationship of the parts as described above is such as to permit the latch member 12 to swing upwardly as the latching means 82 rides over the edge or" the keeper flange 29 when the door 17 is moved to its closed position after the front handle has been locked by a key-actuation of the locking means 92. The ability of the rear handle 15 to actuate the latch member 12 to its door-unlatched position is desirable and will permit opening of the door 17 by a workman or vehicle operator who happens to be in the compartment which is closed by such door; and will enable him to do this even though the front handle 14 has been locked by the locking means 92.

From the accompanying drawings and the foregoing detailed description it will now be readily understood that this invention provides a latch mechanism of a relatively simple and highly practical construction and one which is adapted for a flush-front installation and whose latch member is actuatable to its door-unlatched position by both a front and a rear handle means. It will now also be understood that this novel latch mechanism embodies locking means which is effective on the latch member by establishing a locked condition of the front handle, but which leaves the latch member free for self-latching engagement with the keeper when the door is closed and for actuation by the rear handle means by a person located in the closed compartment.

Although the latch mechanism of this invention has been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Latch mechanism for a door comprising, a mounting structure including channel-shaped means containing a guideway, a body movable along said guideway to different operative positions, a spring in said guide way and effective against said body for urging the same in one direction along the guideway, said mounting structure having front and rear sides, a first handle means adjacent said front side and swingably connected with said mounting structure and engageable with said body for moving the latter along the guideway in the opposite direction in opposition to said spring, a latch member having an inner portion extending in a transverse crossing relation to said guideway and connected with said body and a latching portion projecting from said mounting structure, first pivot means connecting said inner portion with said mounting structure for swinging of said latching portion to latching and unlatching positions in response to movement imparted to said inner portion by said body, a second handle comprising lever means adjacent said rear side and connected with said inner portion, and second pivot means swingably connecting said lever means with said mounting structure for swinging relative thereto to actuate said latch member.

2. In latch mechanism for a door; a mounting structure including a front housing member and a bolt housing at the rear of said front housing member; said front housing member comprising a rear wall, and side walls connected with said rear wall and carrying lateral front flange means for a substantially flush-mountengagement with a support; said front housing member having a re-. cess extending thereinto from the front thereof and lying between the planes of said rear wall and flange means; said bolt housing being connected with said rear Wall and defining a guideway having opposed longitudinal first and second slots in communication therewith and one of which slots connects the guideway with said recess; a bolt slidable in said guideway and movable therealong to different operative positions; a spring effective against said bolt for urging the same in one direction along said guideway; a handle in said recess and pivotedv on said mounting structure for swinging relative thereto; trigger means on said handle and engageable with said bolt through said one slot for moving the bolt in the other direction along the guideway in opposition to said spring; a latch member including an inner end portion extending in a transverse crossing relation to said guideway; pivot means connecting said latch member with said mounting structure for pivotal movement relative thereto; said latch member having a portion projecting from said mounting structure and comprising a latch means swingable to latching and unlatching positions by the pivotal movement of the latch memberpand bolt-responsive means movable by said bolt and eflective on said latch member through the other of said slots for imparting pivotal movement to the latch member for causing swinging of said latch means to said unlatching position.

3. In latch mechanism for a door; a mounting structure including a front housing member and a bolt housing at the rear of said front housing member; said front housing member comprising a rear Wall, and side walls connected with said rear wall and carrying lateral front flange means for a substantially flush-mount engagement with a support; said front housing member having a recess extending thereinto from the front thereof and lying between the planes of said rear wall and flange means; said bolt housing being connected with said rear wall and defining a guideway having opposed longitudinal first and second slots in communication therewith and one of which slots connects the guideway with said recess; a bolt slidable in said guideway and movable therealong to different operative positions; a spring effective against said bolt for urging the same in one direction along said guideway; a handle in said recess and pivoted on said mounting structure for swinging relative thereto; trigger means on said handle and engageable with said bolt through said one slot for moving the bolt in the other direction along the guideway in opposition to said spring; a latch member including an inner end portion extending in a transverse crossing relation to said guideway; pivot means connecting said latch member with said mounting structure for pivotal movement relative thereto; said latch member having a portion projecting from said mounting structure and comprising a latch means swingable to latching and unlatching positions by the pivotal movement of the latch,

member; bolt-responsive means movable by said bolt and effective on said latch member through the other of said slots for imparting such pivotal movement to the latch member; and a second handle comprising a lever located at the rear of said mounting structure and swingably connected therewith; said lever being operably connected with said latch member for imparting pivotal movement to the latter for causing swingin g of said latch means to said unlatching position.

4. Latch mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein said lever is connected with said latch member by said boltresponsive means.

5. Latch mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein said mounting structure includes rearwardly extending pro- 7 jection means; and wherein said lever is swingably connected with said mounting structure by being pivoted on said projection means.

6. Latch mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein said mounting structure includes rearwardly extending projection means having a wall portion spaced from said rear wall; and wherein the pivot means for said latch member and the connection for the swinging of said lever are located on said wall portion.

7. Latch mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein said mounting structure includes rearwardly extending projection means having a Wall portion spaced from said rear wall and provided with a third slot; and wherein the pivot means for said latch member and the connection for the swinging of said lever are located on said wall portion; said lever being operably connected with said latch member by a portion of said bolt-responsive means extending through said third slot.

8. Latch mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein said lever is a bell crank lever; said second handle being on one arm of the bell crank lever and the other arm of the bell crank lever being attached to said mounting structure by the swingable connection therewith and being also connected with said latch member by said boltresponsive means.

9. In latch mechanism for a door; a mounting structure comprising a front housing member and an associated auxiliary housing means; said front housing member having a rear wall, and side walls connected with said rear wall and carrying lateral front flange means for a sub stantially flush-mount engagement with a support; said front housing member also having a recess extending thereinto from the front thereof and lying between the planes of said rear Wall and flange means; said auxiliary housing means being located at the rear of said front housing member and connected therewith and including channel-shaped means containing a guideway; said rear wall having a first slot therein connecting the guideway with said recess; a bolt slidable in said guideway and movable therealong to different operative positions; a spring effective against said bolt for urging the same in one direction along said guideway; a handle in said recess and pivoted on said mounting structure for swinging relative thereto; trigger means on said handle and engageable with said bolt through said first slot for moving the bolt in the other direction along the guideway in opposition to said spring; said channel-shaped means having wall means spaced from said rear wall and containing another slot extending in the same direction as said first slot and lying in a substantially opposed relation thereto; a latch member including an inner end portion extending in a transverse crossing relation to said guideway; pivot means engaged by said inner end portion and connecting said latch member with said auxiliary housing means for pivotal movement relative to said mounting structure; said latch member having a portion projecting from said mounting structure and comprising a latch means swingable to latching and unlatching positions by the pivotal movement of the latch member; and boltresponsive means movable by said bolt and effective on said inner portion of the latch member through the other of said slots for imparting pivotal movement to the latch member for causing swinging of said latch means to the unlatching position.

10. In latch mechanism for a door; a mounting structure comprising connected front, intermediate and rear housing members each having a rear wall provided with a slot and disposed so that the rear walls lie in a spaced and substantially parallel relation; said front housing member having a recess extending thereinto from the front thereof and also having lateral flange means for a substantially flush-mount connection with a support; said intermediate housing having a guideway therein; the slots of said rear walls comprising a first slot in the rear wall of said front housing member and connecting said guideway with said recess, a second slot in the rear wall of said intermediate housing member and communicating with said guideway, and a third slot in the rear wall of said rear housing member; actuator means comprising a swingable handle and a body movable thereby along said guideway, and stem means projecting from said body into said second and third slots and movable along the latter slots; a latch member having an inner end portion received in the space between the rear walls of said intermediate and rear housing members so as to extend in a transverse crossing relation to said guideway and connected with said stem means, and an outer end portion projecting from said mounting structure and comprising a latching portion; and pivot means connecting said inner end portion of the latch member with the rear wall of said rear housing member for swinging of said latching portion to latching and unlatching positions.

11. Latch mechanism as defined in claim 10 wherein said front housing member and said rear housing member each have end and side walls; and wherein said rear housing member is disposed in encompassing relation to said intermediate housing member; the end and side walls of said rear housing member lying against and secured to the end and side walls of said front housing member.

12. In latch mechanism for a door; a mounting structure comprising connected front, intermediate and rear housing members each having a rear wall provided with a slot and disposed so that the rear walls lie in a spaced and substantially parallel relation; said front housing member having a recess extending thereinto from the front thereof and also having lateral flange means for a substantially flush-mount connection with a support; said intermediate housing member including channelshaped means having a guideway therein; the slots of said rear walls comprising a first slot in the rear wall of said front housing member .and connecting said guideway with said recess, a second slot in the rear wall of said intermediate housing member and communicating with said guideway, and a third slot in the rear wall of said rear housing member; actuator means comprising a swingable handle and a body movable thereby along said guideway, and stem means projecting from said body into said second and third slots and movable along the latter slots; a latch member having an inner end portion received in the space between the rear walls of said intermediate and rear housing members so as to extend in a transverse crossing relation to said guideway and connected wtih said stem means, and an outer end portion projecting from said mounting structure and comprising a latching portion; a first pivot means connecting said inner end portion of the latch member with the rear wall of said rear housing member for swinging of said latching portion to latching and unlatching positions; a second pivot means on the rear wall of said rear housing member; and a second handle comprising a lever portion swingable on said second pivot means and connected with said stern means.

13. Latch mechanism as defined in claim 12 wherein said first and second pivot means are located on opposite sides of said third slot; and wherein said lever portion lies adjacent the rear side of the rear wall of said rear housing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,533,257 McKinney Apr. 14, 1925 2,106,951 Hubbell Feb. 1, 1938 2,143,965 Van Voorhess Ian. 17, 1939 2,334,065 Burke Nov. 9, 1943 2,900,204 Pelcin Aug. 18, 1959 

